LEXINGTON, Ky. (August 8, 2025) — On the practice field, they prepare for every scenario. But recently, the University of Kentucky football team devoted time to prepare for something far more critical than a blitz package or two-minute drill: how to save a life.
For the fifth straight year, the Wildcats collaborated with the American Heart Association and UK HealthCare to take part in Hands-Only CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AED (automated external defibrillator) training. This year’s session trained approximately 130 players, coaches, and staff members, continuing the program’s legacy of heart health advocacy and emergency preparedness.
The training is part of the American Heart Association’s Nation of Lifesavers™ initiative, focused on doubling survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest by 2030 through ongoing efforts to turn bystanders into lifesavers by equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to utilize these lifesaving skills if faced with a cardiac emergency.
“Heart health hits close to home for me,” said Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops. “I was in college when my dad passed away, and ever since, I’ve understood just how critical it is to be prepared. I’m grateful that our team receives Hands-Only CPR and AED training every year. It’s empowering to know how to respond in a cardiac emergency—and it could save a life. Thank you to UK HealthCare and the American Heart Association for the work you do and for helping make this training possible.”
Stoops’ father, Ron, suffered a fatal heart attack while coaching a high school football game in October 1988. He was 54 years old. That tragedy has driven Stoops to make cardiac preparedness a priority for his team.
Stoops’ personal loss has helped shape Kentucky’s proactive approach to heart health education. It’s a commitment that is increasingly resonating across college athletics – particularly in the wake of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s cardiac emergency on national television in early 2023.
Inspired by Hamlin’s survival and recovery, his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh, made a bold commitment: train all student-athletes in CPR. That decision proved life-changing.
On Christmas Day of 2023, Pitt women’s soccer player Ellie Breech used the American Heart Association training she received to save her father’s life when he collapsed in their home. Breech immediately began CPR, buying crucial time until paramedics arrived. Her father later recovered fully.
Breech’s story, much like Hamlin’s, is a powerful reminder that CPR training doesn’t just prepare athletes for emergencies—it prepares them to be heroes.
The Wildcats’ heart health legacy also includes former UK captain Kenneth Horsey, who underwent open-heart surgery for endocarditis before ever stepping on the field at Kentucky. Horsey not only returned to play but thrived, earning a starting role and becoming team captain. Today, he continues to advocate for heart health awareness and prevention, especially among young people and athletes.
With cardiac arrest continuing to be a leading cause of death in the United States, the Wildcats’ involvement in the Nation of Lifesavers sends a clear message: preparation saves lives.
By training 130 football players, coaches, and staff this year alone, Kentucky is doing more than building champions on the field—it’s helping build a team of potential lifesavers. The American Heart Association makes it easy to bring training to campus at no cost, with engaging, hands-on instruction that fits seamlessly into a team’s schedule.
For Stoops, the responsibility to equip his student-athletes with these lifesaving skills is as important as equipping them with the tools they need to succeed on the field.
“If we can prepare our athletes for game day,” said Stoops, “we can prepare them for real-life emergencies, too.”
For more information on how to bring CPR training to your team or campus, visit www.heart.org/nation or contact Paul Smith with the American Heart Association Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards at paul.smith@heart.org.
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